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Stolen van leaves Kansas family without a way back home

On Saturday morning, Ben and Ashley Blair discovered their family van missing from the Ronald McDonald House parking lot near Kansas City's Crown Center.
The Blairs, who live nearly 300 miles away in Otis, have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for five months while their son, Drajten, receives care at Children's Mercy Hospital for severe heart and lung complications.
Ben Blair received word Tuesday that police recovered the van, though it was inoperable with broken windows and stolen equipment. "Already got enough to worry about just with our son's situation," Ben Blair said.
Following a similar theft two years ago, Ronald McDonald House Kansas City CEO Tami Greenberg is exploring security upgrades. Ashley Blair said, "It still breaks my heart because it's like they just saw a vehicle and it was more than a vehicle to us."
Now facing at least one more open-heart surgery for Drajten, the family lacks reliable transportation to make the nearly 300-mile journey. Supporters are currently contributing to a GoFundMe to assist the Blairs during this medical crisis.

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